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Coup was bizarre for state employees

Keel Hunt's book, "The Coup," provides and in-depth look into the pardons and paroles scandal of Gov. Ray Blanton that led to the early swearing-in of Gov.-elect Lamar Alexander. It goes into detail in describing the activities of the major...

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OPINION

Coup was bizarre for state employees

Robert Booker, the Knoxville News Sentinel
Published 12:00 a.m. ET April 12, 2016

Keel Hunt's book, "The Coup," provides and in-depth look into the pardons and paroles scandal of Gov. Ray Blanton that led to the early swearing-in of Gov.-elect Lamar Alexander. It goes into detail in describing the activities of the major players and makes passing reference to the minor ones. It gives a vivid account of Blanton's statements after he was ousted from office.

My term in the Legislature ended in 1972, seven years before the coup took place. I never met Blanton, but while he was a U.S. congressman he came into a Printer's Alley nightclub while I was there. He knew that I had cast my vote for Republican Bill Jenkins to be Speaker of the House. I was told he referred to me as a "renegade S.O.B." I got a big laugh from it. Perhaps that was a clue to his real character.

One of those I did know mentioned in the book was black attorney and City Councilman Bob Lillard. Upon my arrival in Nashville, I was introduced to him as someone who could help me through the legislative process. Since I was in the second wave of blacks to serve since Reconstruction, blacks in Nashville were very hospitable and accommodating to make sure we could find our way around the city.

Lillard during the time of the coup had an office in the Capitol and was preparing pardons for the governor to sign when Lewis Donelson, the new commissioner of Finance and Administration, and Bill Koch, deputy attorney general, walked in and informed him that Alexander was the new governor.

"All I want to do is take out 28 more pardons and communications for the governor to sign tonight," said Lillard.

"You can't take any documents from the Capitol tonight, period. And that's the end of that," said Donelson.

Lillard then suggested that Blanton come to the Capitol and sign the papers. "If he comes to the Capitol tonight," said Donelson, "I won't let him in."

Lillard tried to phone Blanton, but he was in the shower. When Blanton returned the call, the phone was handed to Donelson. Blanton indicated that he was coming to the Capitol, but Donelson said, "I won't let you in."

After Blanton's initial low-key reaction to hearing about his ouster, he had plenty to say. He called his attorney, Aubrey Harwell, and said: "(Expletive deleted) it. Is it true what they're doing down there? What has happened, and where does that leave me?" He asked Harwell to accompany him to the Capitol to get a document. "You can't do that," said Harwell.

After Alexander's eight years as governor, he was succeeded by House Speaker Ned McWherter, who beat former Gov. Winfield Dunn. Although he won with 54 percent of the vote, memories and hard feelings still lingered in his native West Tennessee, where he and Blanton grew up. There was a masked "silent legacy of discontent among die-hard Blanton supporters in parts of that rural area. If not for the coup, these particular Democrats by 1986 might have been among McWherter's most ardent voters," Hunt said.

Lt. Gov. John Wilder also faced some hard feelings during his re-election campaign the next year. Said his campaign manager, Paul G. Summers, "There were some who were resentful, and there was no explaining it to them. At stores we'd get a polite reception — but it wasn't warm. That person probably wouldn't vote for a Republican, but he probably wouldn't go to the polls at all."

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